Bedtime

I am behind in updating the blog, with family in town for the holiday and all the fun parties, it's put me a little behind.  Oh, and not to add that I have had two different stomach bugs in the last 10 days.  UGH.  Hopefully that is behind us.

I hope to post some cute Christmas pictures in the next couple of days, I just wanted to post a few from tonight before bed.  There is one of Emily getting out of the tub, and another just before we read books in the rocking chair.

Christmas time

We have been busy spending lots of quality time with family.  Emily is more fun now that she interacts with her cousins, it's different than last year.  Here is a fun picture of Emily with her cousins on my side in their PJ's last night.

First Christmas Presents

Jim's mom is a tennis pro and they go on vacation during the holidays, she teaches a little tennis and so they stay for free at these wonderful all inclusive resorts.   It's a pretty sweet deal, I'm always a little jealous when they leave for 6 weeks in December.  Typically we are taking them to the airport in snow, and when they get back in January it always seems like the coldest day.  

Last night we had dinner and opened Christmas presents before they headed to Jamaica.  Here is Emily enjoying a little peek-a-boo and trying on her new bonnet.  

Building Towers

Emily likes to build towers and yesterday I said after she was done to go stand next to the tower so we can see who is taller, so she went and stood with her back to the tower.  I didn't teach her that, but it was so cute.  

We were getting ready to go visit Santa, of course she was scared of Santa so no pictures.  Santa told us that 92% of children between 9 months and 26 months old cry when they see Santa.  

Dance Moves

The Mouse Who Ate the House

Our community is really wonderful, yesterday we went to storytime at the Library, they had the author of The Mouse Who Ate the House read her book.  The book is about a mouse who ate a gingerbread house, based on a true story of a family who leave the gingerbread house in their garage and the next day they found a mouse in it!  Can you imagine?  Here are a couple of pictures of Emily with the mouse from the story.  She was a little timid, but did go touch the mouse and talk to her.

Happy Friday

Just a cute picture I snapped of Emily today playing with her baby.

Christmas Pictures

Here is a picture of Emily waiting at the mall today to get her picture taken.  It was really hard to get her to sit or stand in one place to take her picture, but we did get one picture that I like.  It's not perfect, but who gets a perfect picture when their child is 18 months old?  

This adorable dress my mother-in-law bought Emily at a boutique in Midland, MI.  There is a matching headband which we later put in her hair.  The dress is really pretty, this picture doesn't do it justice.  Plus I had curled her hair, but it only lasts for about 20 seconds, so by the time we got to the mall you could hardly tell.

Bible Study Christmas Party

We had our bible study group Christmas party at our house tonight.  Here is a picture of all of the children, needless to say it was a pretty full house, and lots of fun.  The kids got along great and we had a wonderful time.  

The cutest puppy

Saturday night we caught up with some friends from High School, and they just got this adorable puppy.  The next time we get a dog, I want to get one of these - a golden doodle.  Joey is a lab - poodle mix who won't shed and is so lovable.  Emily was playing with him and just loved him so much.

Family Outdoor Fun

Saturday we went for a walk and enjoyed the nice sunshine before the snow hit yesterday.  Here are a couple of pictures from our time outside.  

Putting up the Christmas Tree

This morning we put up our Christmas tree.  Emily was very interested in helping put up the tree.  When we turned on the lights she got real excited and said "Lights ON!"  She enjoyed being picked up and looking at the angel on the top, and of course she wanted to grab all of the ornaments.  We are working on having her touch them with one finger, but she grabs, bats and pulls on them right now.  I am hoping that everything I put on the bottom of the tree is not breakable, I  tried to be selective, but it was hard.  Emily loves the Elmo and Hello Kitty ornaments I bought her at Kohl's yesterday.  The only problem is she doesn't want them hanging on the tree, she wants to play with them.

Happy Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for, the list is endless.  Last night at church we received a leaf when we walked in the door and we were asked to put what we were thankful for on it and then we hung them on a tree.  My leaf was full to the max, our family has been blessed with so much, family, friends, financial stability, health, God's love, food, shelter, clothes, etc.

Today we went over to my Aunt Joyce's house and had an abundance of wonderful food.  Here are a few pictures from today.  Emily was extremely tired today because she stay up late last night for my brother's surprise 40th Birthday party, and of course she didn't sleep in.  The top picture was at the end of today's gathering and way past her nap time.  I thought it was so cute how she is snuggled up to her daddy sucking her thumb.  The middle picture is of my brother Dave and my sister Linda.

First Time in the Snow

Emily enjoyed playing in snow today for the first time.  I asked her if she wanted to touch the snow and she took off her mittens and touched it with her bare hands.  It was hard because I kept putting her mittens on and she kept taking them off.  When I told her we were going to make some snow balls to build a snow man she went to get Lucy's ball (the dog).  She is so smart.

The picture of her next to the snowman didn't turn out well, but at least you can get an idea of how big our snow man is.  Unfortunately our snowman broke a couple of times, so it kept getting smaller.  

Family Weekend

This weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving with Jim's family.  

Our annual tradition is that Jim's mother and I also make Christmas cookies, this year we made Buckeyes, Lebuken, Springles, and Sugar Cookies.  Decorating is by far my favorite part.  Jim's mom is a great baker and cook, I have learned a lot from our baking tradition.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday with all of the holiday fixings - Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Squash, Green Beans, Orange Sweet Rolls, Cranberries, Dressing, Gravy, etc  Jim's sister Susan and her two boys Zach and Tristan were at Jim's mom's place as well - they are in one of the pictures with Emily.  One of Emily's favorite things this weekend was to play hide and seek with the cat Holly, and Holly was very good at letting Emily snuggle and pet her.

On our way home we stopped to see Jim's grandmother for a few hours, she is also in some of the pictures.  She always amazes me, she is in her mid 80's and walked 4.5 miles today, bowls in a league averaging 220 and was crawling under the kitchen table to play peek a boo with Emily.  I don't know a lot of women her age with so much energy.

Sorry there are so many pictures, it was hard to choose.  

Emily's New Friends

Today Emily and I went to one of my friend from High School's house.  It was fun to get together and have the kids play.  Here is Emily with Selma (8 months old) and with Davis (1 year -bottom picture).  She is starting to play with other children a lot more, and loves babies.

Twin Friends

I have an identical twin sister, and so when I see twins I always have a soft spot for them.  We met my friend Karla and her twin girls at storytime at the Chelsea Library.  Sofia (floral shirt) and Natalia (pink shirt) are just a couple of months older than Emily.  

It was cute how they would push Emily around on her car, which of course Emily loved.  Emily was a little attached to the dolls they brought, I think she was carrying them around the entire time they were here.  Sofia and Natalia where really good sports about the whole thing, they are very good girls.  Or course I am sure they get that from their mom, she is one of those people that is just like a breath of fresh air.  Karla is very positive and warm, she naturally attracts people.

New Baby Megan

Today I realized that my baby is not really a baby anymore.  She is a little girl.  Our friends Julie, Erik and Blake welcomed new baby Megan into the world this past weekend.  Holding Megan made me realize how big Emily is now.  

Here are a few pictures of us meeting Megan.  Emily was very gentle touching Megan's head, it was so cute.  Pictured are Julie, Blake, Megan and Emily.  Julie looks amazing for just having a baby, and she seems so well rested on very little sleep.

Great Grandma Weidmayer

Emily was so proud today when she was putting this necklace on at Great Grandma Weidmayer's house.  My grandpa stung these spools when we were young, and it makes a fun necklace.  It goes to show you don't have to buy toys, you can make them.  :)

We stopped by my grandma's to drop off some beef stew and chocolate chip cookies I made yesterday, what a perfect day for stew.  I can't believe it's cold and snowing already, but that is Michigan weather for you.

Dora Chair

Emily is not spoiled at all, she has hardly any clothes and no toys.  Just kidding.  I do feel a little less guilty seeing most of the stuff I get is at mom to mom sales.  Last week and today I went to mom to mom sales in Saline.  Last week we got an Elmo train set that we are wrapping up for Christmas.  Today we got some clothes and this Dora chair.  Emily looks so grown up sitting in her own chair.  

Today Jim was one of the only men at the mom to mom sale, he insisted on going, I think he was curious as to what these mom to mom sales are all about.  I have this feeling they were more exciting in his head.  

Winter Gear

This week we got out some of our winter gear.  We are lucky that Emily loves hats and doesn't mind having her hood up.  

Emily just loves being outside; we are so sad that winter is just around the corner and we'll have to bundle up to go outside.

Silly Headband

Jim wasn't really sure how to put on Emily's headband, regardless she thought it was funny ...

Tristan Reading to Emily

Here is a cute picture of Emily's cousin Tristan reading to her this weekend.  

Wood Stove

No, Emily's hair is not on fire.  Emily is walking away from our wood pellet stove, and I thought this was an interesting picture.  We have this great wood pellet stove that heats our entire house,  Jim put together the gate around the stove so Emily can't get to it.  The wood pellet stove sure saves our heat bill from getting too high.